Douglas County Sheriff Tim Dunning and County Attorney Don Klein believe the state needs to do more

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Updated: 6:14 PM CDT Jul 20, 2017

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WEBVTT 6:00.REPORTER: THIS PAST MAY, ANOMAHA MAN SHOT AND KILLED.FOUR TEENS CHARGED IN CONNECTIONWITH HIS MURDER.THE YOUNGEST A FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLDGIRL.>> WE CAN'T ALLOW FOR THESETYPES OF THINGS TO GO ON IN OURSTREETS.WE HAVE TO DO WHATEVER WE CANAND I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANTPART IN SOLVING THOSE TYPES OFPROBLEMS.REPORTER: COUNTY ATTORNEY DONKLEIN SPEAKING OUT FOLLOWINGTHIS NEW REPORT.IT SHOWS LESS THAN 8% OF AT-RISKCHILDREN IN NEBRASKA YOUNGERTHAN 3 ARE ENROLLED IN EARLY EDPROGRAMS. KLEIN BELIVES THE STATE NEEDS TODO MORE.IT'S AN INVESTMENT THAT PAYSOFF.AND IN THE LONG RUN IT'S GOINGTO SAVE TAXPAYERS A LOT OFMONEY.BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO KEEP KIDSOUT OF THE SYSTEM.REPORTER: ACCORDING TO THEREPORT, THOSE FIRST FEW YEARSARE CRITICAL TO KEEP KIDS FROMBEING BEHIND WHEN THEY STARTSCHOOL.ESPEICALLY FOR THOSE AT RISK.RESEARCH SHOWS BY AGE 3, KIDSFROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES HAVEHALF THE VOCABULARY AS THEHIGHER INCOME PEERS.AND STUDENTS WHO DROP OUT, AREMORE LIKELY TO END UP IN PRISON.>> THERE ARE JAIL CELLS IN THESTATE THAT HAVE HELDGRANDFATHERS AND FATHERS AND NOWTHE SONS.THIS IS A CYCLE THAT WE CAN ANDNEED TO STOP.REPORTER: BOTH THE SHERRIFF ANDCOUNTY ATTORNEY SAY THATPOSSIBLE BY SUPPORTING EARLYEDUCATION, AND IN THIS KEY AGEGROUP.>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THATOUR CITIZENS AND OUR LAWMAKERSREALIZE HOW IMPORTANCE THIS ISTO GET SOME THINGS DONE IN THIS

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Report: Early education key in reducing crime

Douglas County Sheriff Tim Dunning and County Attorney Don Klein believe the state needs to do more

In May, an Omaha man was shot and killed. Four teenagers were charged in connection with his murder. The youngest was a 15-year-old girl.

"We can't allow for these types of things to go on in our streets. We have to do whatever we can, and I think this is an important part in solving those types of problems," Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said.

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Kleine spoke out Thursday following a new report. It showed less than 8 percent of at-risk children in Nebraska young than three are enrolled in early education programs. Kleine believes the state needs to do more.

"It's an investment that pays off. And in the long run it's going to save taxpayers a lot of money because it's going to keep kids out of the system," Kleine said.

According to the report, the first three years are critical in a child's development and can keep them from being behind when they start school

Research shows by age three, kids from low-income families have half the vocabulary as their higher-income peers. And students who drop out are more likely to end up in prison.

"There are jail cells in the state that have held grandfathers and fathers and now the sons. This is a cycle that we can and need to stop," Douglas County Sheriff Tim Dunning said.

Both the sheriff and county attorney say reducing crime is possible by supporting early education, especially in the key 0 to 3 age group with at-risk children.

"I just want to make sure that our citizens and our lawmakers realize how important this is to get some things done in this area," Klein said.